the essays of montaigne, v17-第2节

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family；　and　that　peradventure　you　buy　too　dear。

I　came　late　to　the　government　of　a　house：　they　whom　nature　sent　into　the
world　before　me　long　eased　me　of　that　trouble；　so　that　I　had　already
taken　another　bent　more　suitable　to　my　humour。　　Yet；　for　so　much　as　I
have　seen；　'tis　an　employment　more　troublesome　than　hard；　whoever　is
capable　of　anything　else；　will　easily　do　this。　　Had　I　a　mind　to　be　rich；
that　way　would　seem　too　long；　I　had　served　my　kings；　a　more　profitable
traffic　than　any　other。　　Since　I　pretend　to　nothing　but　the　reputation　of
having　got　nothing　or　dissipated　nothing；　conformably　to　the　rest　of　my
life；　improper　either　to　do　good　or　ill　of　any　moment；　and　that　I　only
desire　to　pass　on；　I　can　do　it；　thanks　be　to　God；　without　any　great
endeavour。　　At　the　worst；　evermore　prevent　poverty　by　lessening　your
expense；　'tis　that　which　I　make　my　great　concern；　and　doubt　not　but　to　do
it　before　I　shall　be　compelled。　　As　to　the　rest；　I　have　sufficiently
settled　my　thoughts　to　live　upon　less　than　I　have；　and　live　contentedly：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Non　aestimatione　census；　verum　victu　atque　cultu；
　　　　　　　　　　terminantur　pecunix　modus。〃

　　　　　＇〃'Tis　not　by　the　value　of　possessions；　but　by　our　daily　subsistence
　　　　　and　tillage；　that　our　riches　are　truly　estimated。〃
　　　　　Cicero；　Paradox；　vi。　3。＇

My　real　need　does　not　so　wholly　take　up　all　I　have；　that　Fortune　has　not
whereon　to　fasten　her　teeth　without　biting　to　the　quick。　　My　presence；
heedless　and　ignorant　as　it　is；　does　me　great　service　in　my　domestic
affairs；　I　employ　myself　in　them；　but　it　goes　against　the　hair；　finding
that　I　have　this　in　my　house；　that　though　I　burn　my　candle　at　one　end　by
myself；　the　other　is　not　spared。

Journeys　do　me　no　harm　but　only　by　their　expense；　which　is　great；　and
more　than　I　am　well　able　to　bear；　being　always　wont　to　travel　with　not
only　a　necessary；　but　a　handsome　equipage；　I　must　make　them　so　much
shorter　and　fewer；　I　spend　therein　but　the　froth；　and　what　I　have
reserved　for　such　uses；　delaying　and　deferring　my　motion　till　that　be
ready。　　I　will　not　that　the　pleasure　of　going　abroad　spoil　the　pleasure
of　being　retired　at　home；　on　the　contrary；　I　intend　they　shall　nourish
and　favour　one　another。　　Fortune　has　assisted　me　in　this；　that　since　my
principal　profession　in　this　life　was　to　live　at　ease；　and　rather　idly
than　busily；　she　has　deprived　me　of　the　necessity　of　growing　rich　to
provide　for　the　multitude　of　my　heirs。　　If　there　be　not　enough　for　one；
of　that　whereof　I　had　so　plentifully　enough；　at　his　peril　be　it：　his
imprudence　will　not　deserve　that　I　should　wish　him　any　more。　　And　every
one；　according　to　the　example　of　Phocion；　provides　sufficiently　for　his
children　who　so　provides　for　them　as　to　leave　them　as　much　as　was　left
him。　　I　should　by　no　means　like　Crates'　way。　　He　left　his　money　in　the
hands　of　a　banker　with　this　conditionthat　if　his　children　were　fools；
he　should　then　give　it　to　them；　if　wise；　he　should　then　distribute　it　to
the　most　foolish　of　the　people；　as　if　fools；　for　being　less　capable　of
living　without　riches；　were　more　capable　of　using　them。

At　all　events；　the　damage　occasioned　by　my　absence　seems　not　to　deserve；
so　long　as　I　am　able　to　support　it；　that　I　should　waive　the　occasions　of
diverting　myself　by　that　troublesome　assistance。

There　is　always　something　that　goes　amiss。　　The　affairs；　one　while　of　one
house；　and　then　of　another；　tear　you　to　pieces；　you　pry　into　everything
too　near；　your　perspicacity　hurts　you　here；　as　well　as　in　other　things。
I　steal　away　from　occasions　of　vexing　myself；　and　turn　from　the　knowledge
of　things　that　go　amiss；　and　yet　I　cannot　so　order　it；　but　that　every
hour　I　jostle　against　something　or　other　that　displeases　me；　and　the
tricks　that　they　most　conceal　from　me；　are　those　that　I　the　soonest　come
to　know；　some　there　are　that；　not　to　make　matters　worse；　a　man　must
himself　help　to　conceal。　　Vain　vexations；　vain　sometimes；　but　always
vexations。　　The　smallest　and　slightest　impediments　are　the　most　piercing：
and　as　little　letters　most　tire　the　eyes；　so　do　little　affairs　most
disturb　us。　　The　rout　of　little　ills　more　offend　than　one；　how　great
soever。　　By　how　much　domestic　thorns　are　numerous　and　slight；　by　so　much
they　prick　deeper　and　without　warning；　easily　surprising　us　when　least　we
suspect　them。

　　　　　＇Now　Homer　shews　us　clearly　enough　how　surprise　gives　the　advantage；
　　　　　who　represents　Ulysses　weeping　at　the　death　of　his　dog；　and　not
　　　　　weeping　at　the　tears　of　his　mother；　the　first　accident；　trivial　as
　　　　　it　was；　got　the　better　of　him；　coming　upon　him　quite　unexpectedly；
　　　　　he　sustained　the　second；　though　more　potent；　because　he　was　prepared
　　　　　for　it。　　'Tis　light　occasions　that　humble　our　lives。　＇

I　am　no　philosopher；　evils　oppress　me　according　to　their　weight；　and　they
weigh　as　much　according　to　the　form　as　the　matter；　and　very　often　more。
If　I　have　therein　more　perspicacity　than　the　vulgar；　I　have　also　more
patience；　in　short；　they　weigh　with　me；　if　they　do　not　hurt　me。　　Life　is
a　tender　thing；　and　easily　molested。　　Since　my　age　has　made　me　grow　more
pensive　and　morose；

　　　　　　　　　　〃Nemo　enim　resistit　sibi；　cum　caeperit　impelli；〃

　　　　　＇〃For　no　man　resists　himself　when　he　has　begun　to　be　driven
　　　　　forward。〃Seneca；　Ep。；　13。＇

for　the　most　trivial　cause　imaginable；　I　irritate　that　humour；　which
afterwards　nourishes　and　exasperates　itself　of　its　own　motion；　attracting
and　heaping　up　matter　upon　matter　whereon　to　feed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Stillicidi　casus　lapidem　cavat：〃

　　　　　＇〃The　ever　falling　drop　hollows　out　a　stone。〃Lucretius；　i。　314。＇

these　continual　tricklings　consume　and　ulcerate　me。　　Ordinary
inconveniences　are　never　light；　they　are　continual　and　inseparable；
especially　when　they　spring　from　the　members　of　a　family；　continual　and
inseparable。　　When　I　consider　my　affairs　at　distance　and　in　gross；　I
find；　because　perhaps　my　memory　is　none　of　the　best；　that　they　have　gone
on　hitherto　improving　beyond　my　reason　or　expectation；　my　revenue　seems
greater　than　it　is；　its　prosperity　betrays　me：　but　when　I　pry　more
narrowly　into　the　business；　and　see　how　all　things　go：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tum　vero　in　curas　animum　diducimus　omnes；〃

　　　　　　　　　　＇〃Indeed　we　lead　the　mind　into　all　sorts　of　cares。〃
　　　　　　　　　　AEneid；　v。　720。＇

I　have　a　thousand　things　to　desire　and　to　fear。　　To　give　them　quite　over；
is　very　easy　for　me　to　do：　but　to　look　after　them　without　trouble；　is
very　hard。　　'Tis　a　miserable　thing　to　be　in　a　place　where　everything　you
see　employs　and　concerns　you；　and　I　fancy　that　I　more　cheerfully　enjoy
the　pleasures　of　another　man's　house；　and　with　greater　and　a　purer
relish；　than　those　of　my　own。　　Diogenes　answered　according　to　my　humour
him　who　asked　him　what　sort　of　wine　he　liked　the　best：　〃That　of　another；〃
said　he。　＇Diogenes　Laertius；　vi。　54。＇

My　father　took　a　delight　in　building　at　Montaigne；　where　he　was　born；　and
in　all　the　government　of　domestic　affairs　I　love　to　follow　his　example
and　rules；　and　I　shall　engage　those　who　are　to　succeed　me；　as　much　as　in
me　lies；　to　do　the　same。　　Could　I　do　better　for　him；　I　would；　and　am
proud　that　his　will　is　still　performing　and　acting　by　me。　　God　forbid
that　in　my　hands　I　should　ever　suffer　any　image　of　life；　that　I　am　able
to　render　to　so　good　a　father；　to　fail。　　And　wherever　I　have　taken　in
hand　to　strengthen　some　old　foundations　of　walls；　and　to　repair　some
ruinous　buildings；　in　earnest　I　have　done　it　more　out　of　respect　to　his
design；　than　my　own　satisfaction；　and　am　angry　at　myself　that　I　have　not
proceeded　further　to　finish　the　beginnings　he　left　in　his　house；　and　so
much　the　more　because　I　am　very　likely　to　be　the　last　possessor　of　my
race；　and　to　give　the　last　hand　to　it。　　For；　as　to　my　own　particular
application；　neither　the　pleasure　of　building；　which　they　say　is　so
bewitching；　nor　hunting；　nor　gardens；　nor　the　other　pleasures　of　a
retired　life；　can　much　amuse　me。　　And　'tis　what　I　am　angry　at　myself　for；
as　I　am　for　all　other　opinions　that　are　incommodious　to　me；　which　I　would
not　so　much　care　to　have　vigorous　and　learned；　as　I　would　have　them　easy
and　convenient　for　life；　they　are　true　and　sound　enough；　if　they　are
useful　and　pleasing。　　Such　as　hear　me　declare　my　ignorance　in　husbandry；
whisper　in　my　ear　that　it　is　disdain；　and　that　I　neglect　to　know　its
instruments；　its　seasons；　its　order；　how　they　dress　my　vines；　how　they
graft；　and　to　know　the　names　and　forms　of　herbs　and　fruits；　and　the
preparing　the　meat　on　which　I　live；　the　names　and　prices　of　the　stuffs　I
wear；　because；　say　they；　I　have　set　my　heart　upon　some　higher　knowledge；
they　kill　me　in　saying　so。　　It　is　not　disdain；　it　is　folly；　and　rather
stupidity　than　glory；　I　had　rather　be　a　good　horseman　than　a　good
logician：

　　　　　　　　　〃Quin　to　aliquid　saltem　potius；　quorum　indiget　usus；
　　　　　　　　　　Viminibus　mollique　paras　detexere　junco。〃

　　　　　＇〃'Dost　thou　not　rather　do　something　which　is　required；　and　make
　　　　　osier　and　reed　basket。〃Virgil；　Eclog。；　ii。　71。＇

We　occupy　our　thoughts　about　the　general；　and　about　universal　causes　and
conducts；　which　will　very　well　carry　on　themselves　without　our　care；　and
leave　our　own　business　at　random；